Pancreas Divisum and Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis
#1

Hello everyone,

I have had pancreatitis since i was little, apparently i have a missing duct that I wasn’t born with, which is called pancreas divisum. I was in and out of the hospital from the age of 9 until about 17 years old I stopped having pain and actually started to pick up weight. Right around November of 2011 I had a flare up and since then it has come back with a vengeance.

I had the stent put in to open up the closed area in the pancreas, but that did not work. that was done in December of 2011. Since then my levels have stopped elevating and my pain is every day all day(turned into severe Chronic pancreatitis). I watch what i eat, but i wake up in the worst pain barely able to function through the day.

I am on heavy prescription narcotics which i’m sure you all know makes you constipated as well which also makes you flare. I have noticed that my pain is at it’s worse during or before my menstrual cycle. Everyone keeps telling me to try juicing and trying to see a wholistic doctor because maybe they can give me natural supplements to help but right now i take a Multi vitamin and i take Vitamin E to help out as well.

Right now i am at my 3rd hospital looking to get better answers this time. I had an EUS done two months ago they found some sludge in the gallbladder but i’m not sure if the gallbladder will is the root of all my pain, they are talking about removing the gallbladder but honestly when i think about my pain most of it points to the pancreas.

#2

Hi Jenny . . . oh my dear, my heart aches for you and everything you have and are continuing to go thru. My prayers are with you.

Since hurricane IKE I have been plagued with one issue after another, My boby went into shock as a result of all the devastation in my area as well as my own condo and I am still repairing the damages along with all my neighbors.

I thru away ALL my meds and I was on too many idiotic antidepressants, sleeping pills, you name it. I detoxed myself and went into a tailspin for about 6 months, only taking my thyroid and never had so much energy in the process.

After loosing half my hair, afraid to shampoo it as it would come out in globs, then my hairdresser advised prenatal vitamins. I almost laughed.

Imagine being in my 60’s and afraid to face people, started his suggestion, bought a wig and flew into my repairs. No family around here in Texas, insurance check returned for insufficient funds, what a trip! Anyway, thru this process, I could barely digest anything, lived on my homemade chicken soup, put it in the blender as I couldn’t swallow and had to force myself to drink it as I lost my appetite also. Then a few years ago I was ambulantatoried to the hospital from my doctor’s office thinking it was a heart attack.

I awoke with doctors & nurses standing over me, tubes thruout my body, cussing a blue streak. Now, I am a devout Christian and don’t swear unless I’m completely stressed. They told me my gallbladder was inflammed, infected, full of stones as well as my pancreas. So, they said they repaired the pancreas, inserted a stent, had me on strong antibiotic drip for the infection, told me to return within 3 weeks for gallbladder removal/repair, whatever.

I said they would not see this woman again, they only had one chance with the knife! This was during Thanksgiving, then they police-escorted me to a phych hospital in Houston, where I was so doped up I didn’t know who, what, where, when, why. No one ever said the stent would have to be removed or replaced, but this pain I am having sounds almost as severe as yours, comes and goes, when I am under stress, etc.

I pray my toenails off daily and Praise God I’m still alive. There has to be a cure for all this, but I hope it’s not via surgery.

Please keep me posted of your recovery. Keep the faith, I keep saying, “This too shall pass” and know that God doesn’t give us anymore than we can handle", but my shoulders are getting more stooped from all this stress, rather than broader. I’m trying to maintain my sense of humor!

I’ve lost most of my friends as I won’t listen to their suggestions, etc. Ha! Until you walk in someone else’s shoes, you never know what path they are following.

God Bless You, Jenny.

#3

Hi Jenny, I also have divisum. My gall bladder was removed and it was perfectly healthy but it made a huge difference for the better for about 4 years. It is back with a vengence now but if I had another gallbladder I would gladly have it removed again. It helped a lot. I can never figure out what to eat or not eat. I won't let the pancreas win.